Warning device



G. H. GREEN WARNING DEVICE April 16, 1929.

Filed Feb. 19, 1925 evzyejil v Patented A r; is, 1929.

I 1,709,212 FICE.

GEORGE H. GREEN, or ROCK RAPIDS, IOWA.

WARNING DEVICE.

The object of my invention is to provide an electrical warning device ofsimple, durableand inexpensive construction.

More particularly, it is the purpose of my invention to provide a deviceadapted for use at railroad and highway intersections, including anelectrical circuit adapted to be closed by an approaching train or carthrough batteries or other source of electrical energy and magnets, thelatter being located in the highway. The device includes a permanentmagnet on the car and a needle. The needle may be included inthe'ignition system of the car. It is adapted to be actuated' by theelectromagnets in the highway 2 for closing a circuit by a signal deviceon 4 on the instrument on the line 4-4 of F the car (motor vehicle).

With these and invention consists in the construction, arrangement andcombination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointedout in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, inwhich: j A Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic plan View of a railroad andhighway intersection equipped with a warning device, embodying myinvention, parts being shown in section and parts being broken away.

, Figure 2 is a detail, sectional view taken on the 'line 2--2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

F igure 4 is a detail, sectional view taken igure 2.

Figure 5 is a line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the switch hicle.

Fig. 7 is a diagram of the electrical circuits.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numerals 10 and11 to indicate generally the opposite rails of a railroad. Sections ofthe rails 11 are insulated as at 12 from the other rails in alignmeuttherewith at certain desirable distances from the vehicle highway 13.Suitably located as in the casing 14 below the railroad are thebatteries 15. The batteries 15 are connected by means of wires 16 and 17with electromagnets 18 and 19 located under the highway in suchpositions as to be substantially below approaching motor cars. The

other objects in view, my-

sectional -'view taken on the board of the motor ve- Application filedFebruary 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,242.

electromagnet 19 is connected by a wire 20 with the rail sections 10 andthe electromagnct 18 is connected by a Wire 21 with the rail sections11.

It will be understood that the wires are received in suitable conduits22 or the like. Each electromagnet is received in a suitable casing 23and comprises a coil 24 having a rod 25 extended therethrough andproject ing horizontally as at v26 for a considerable distance, acrossthe road, and a portion 27 atits other end extending a shorter distanceand up-turned as at 28 for distributing the lines of force along theportion 26.

It will be understood, of course, that proper insulation is provided.

It will be seen that normally the circuit through the batteries 15 isbroken, but when a railroad car 29 or the like enters into the sectionof the track between the installation points 12, a circuit is closedthrough the batteries, the wire 17 the electromagnet 19, the wire 20,railroad sections 10, the railroad car 29, the rail sections 11, thewire 21, the electromagnet 18 and the wire 16.

On the running board 30 of the motor vehicle 31 is a casing 32 in whichis a permanent magnet 33 shown in Figure 4. On the wall of the casing 32is mounted a spindle or the like 34 on which is an insulating bushing35. On the bushing 35 is mounted a'needle 36 (see Figures 4 and 5).Vashers 37 and 38 insulate the needle 36 from the casing 32 and thespindle 34.

A contact point 39 is arranged to engage one end of the needle 36 toprevent it from normally standing in the position it would otherwiseassume with relation to the permanent magnet 33, so that there is aconstant down pull on for instance the south pole of the needle 36.

A contact point 40 is arranged above the south pole of the needle 36 andis connected with an electromagnet 41-, which is in-turn connected by awire 42 with the signal, such as the horn 43 (see Figure 7), theautomobile battery and the wire 45 leading back to the needle 36.

When there is an approaching railroad car on the railroad track and theelectromagnet 18 for instance is magnetized by the closed circuitthrough the batteries 15, then when the motor vehicle equipped with myparts shown in Figure 4, travels over the electromagnet 18, the needlewill be deflected to cause it to contact with the point 40.

This is because the north pole of the needle is lower than the southpole, and is then closest to the extension 26, the end of which formsthe north pole of the electromagnet 18. This closes the circuit through.the point 40, the magnet 41, the switch 46 in the wire 7 42, the signal43, such asthe horn, the bat- 36 to return to its normal position shownin Figure 4. i

The contact 39 may be connected with the primaries 55 of the ignitionsystem of the automobile, which are grounded for instance as at 56 onthe motor vehicle frame in the well known way.

Thus it will be seen that when the construction last mentioned isemployed, the circuit through the ignition system is normally closedthrough the wire 57 between the contact point 39 and the primaries 55,

the car body 56, the contact 39, needle 36,-

wire and the battery 44, which is also grounded as at 57 on the motorvehicle body.

It thus occurs that when the construction now being described isemployed and the needle 36 is deflected from its position shown inFigure 4 to its position contacting with the member 40, the circuitthrough the 1gnition system is broken andthe car is compelled to stopuntil the switch 54 is opened. The wire 57 connecting the point 39 withthe primaries of the ignition system of a motor vehicle may be dispensedwith whenever desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. A source of electrical energy, electromagnets designed to be placedunder a vehicle highway near the intersection thereof with a railroad,means for electrically connecting the electromagnets with the source ofelectrical energy, said means including the rails of the railroad forclosing a circuit-through an approachingrailroad car, said rails, thesource of electrlcal energy and the electromagnets, whereby theaproaching railroad car energizes the magnets, a signal device adaptedto be mounted on a motor vehicle including a permanent magnet, aninsulated needle arranged adjacent thereto, a stop, said permanentmagnet tending to maintain said needle. in engagement with said stop," acontact point s aced from said needle, an electro-magnet a acent saidcontact point, a switch and means for includ-' .ing said lastelectro-magnet, said needle, contact point and said switch in theelecsaid trical circuit of the signal device whereby said electromagnetwill maintain said needle against said contact point when the signalcurrent flows therethrough.

2. In a warning signal device structure, a signal mechanism adapted tobe mounted on a motor vehicle including a permanent magnet, a needlearranged to be held thereby in a predetermined position, a contact pointspaced from the needle, a signal circuit including said needle and saidcontact point and means for deflecting said needle against said contactpoint, said means comprising an electromagnet designed to be placed in ahighway and means for closing an electrical circuit through theelectromagnet, upon the approach of a railroad car to the intersectionof the railroad with the highway said electromagnet comprising a poleextending transversely of the highway and adapted to act upon saidneedle as the vehicle travels over the highway above saidelectro-magnet.

3. In a device of the class described, a source of electrical energy,electromagnets designed to be placed under a vehicle highway near theintersection thereof with a railroad, and comprising poles extendingtransversely ofthe highway and second poles spaced below the center ofthe first poles, means for electrically connecting the electromagnetswith the source of electrical energy, said means including the rails ofthe railroad for closing a circuit through an approaching railroad car,said rails, the source of electrical energy and the electromagnetswhereby the approaching railroad car energizes the magnets and a signal;device adapted to be mounted on'a motor vehicle and be actuated by saidelectromagnets when energized by the approaching railroad car.

4. Av device of the character described comprising electromagnets placedunder a vehicle highway near the intersection of a railroad therewith asource of current supply for energizing said magnets upon a railroad carentering a section of the railroadadjacent the highway, signal means ona vehicle adapted to be moved to operative position upon said vehiclecoming adjacent one of said electromagnets, said means remainingoperative after the vehicle has passed beyond the range of theelectromagnet and manually operated means associated with said signalmeans to render it again inoperative and in position to be actuated byanother electromagnet.

Des Moines, Iowa, January 14, 1925.

GEORGE E. GREEN.

